


Alien Coffee As A Metaphor

by shesakicker



Category: Green Arrow, Green Lantern (Comic)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-07-06
Updated: 2010-07-06
Packaged: 2017-10-10 10:01:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 983
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/98450
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shesakicker/pseuds/shesakicker
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Guy and Connor discuss Kyle. Also, coffee.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Alien Coffee As A Metaphor

**Author's Note:**

> Betaed by halfnorn who indulges my odd love of Guy.

Connor Hawke didn't exactly have the most _normal_ life. The fact of strange things happening around him had lost its shock value a long time ago. It was probably for the best, all things considered.

But this... this was a new one.

Sitting in an all night diner with Guy Gardner and wondering how the hell he even got here.

He know, of course, that Guy had asked in that way that arrogant way that was almost an order and he'd said yes mostly out of politeness. But that didn't exactly explain _why_ the man wanted to talk to him or about what.

Taking a sip of his too-weak tea, Connor remained patient -- zen, as Roy would say -- for Gardner to speak his piece so he could go home and get some sleep. Dawn was only an hour away now, after all.

Gardner, however, was being tight-lipped. Looking out the window of the diner at the few people still out on the streets this early in the morning. Or late at night depending on how you looked at it. His arm was draped over the back of the booth cushion, like he owned the place. That sort of casual pride that put Connor's teeth on edge for reasons beyond him.

"They don't make coffee like this back on Oa," he finally said, still not glancing Connor's way.

"...pardon?" The man wanted to talk about _coffee_.

"Coffee," Gardner replied with a sneer that was probably more a case of second nature than genuine distaste. He finally looked over at Connor in a way that could be categorized as giving him the stink-eye. "It's some weird alien version that most've the corp can drink and not drop dead from. Orange instead of brown. How weird is that shit?"

Connor blinked at him in incomprehension. It had been a long evening already and he simply did not have the brain capacity to follow this logic. "Right."

Gardner sighed and leaned forward, elbows on the table to flank his half finished cup of non-alien coffee. "So it was a shitty metaphor."

"What exactly was it supposed to be a metaphor _for_," Connor asked slowly. Why was it that he seemed to attract the emotionally retarded ones?

There was a flash of green sparking from Gardner's ring as he waved his hand in a lazy circle. "Ya know..."

He was tired, the tea was awful and, if he wanted cryptic talk from a Green Lantern, he'd talk to Alan Scott about magic. "No, I _don't_ know, Mr. Gardner," Connor said, standing up to leave.

"Guy," he corrected, following Connor's movements with his eyes. "Christ, make a guy feel old."

But his posture changed from that infuriating overconfidence to something far more petulant, as he tried to wave Connor back down. "It's about Kyle, okay?"

The mention of Kyle was all that was needed to get Connor's butt back in the booth. Even if it was warily. "What about him?"

Gardner--Guy stirred his coffee with a vivid green spoon, looking down at it like the secrets to the universe laid at the bottom. Or, going by what Connor had heard of the man, naked women.

"Seems me an' you got somethin' in common," he said dryly, not looking up. "Ya know, aside from bein' members of the brain damage club."

Connor couldn't help but think the sarcasm was covering for nerves on this. What on Earth would make the Green Lantern _nervous_?

He studied Guy's face, thinking over what exactly they had in common in regards to Kyle. "I don't think I'm the best person to talk to about being Kyle's partner. We haven't worked together for a while now."

Guy's eyes shot up, fixing him in place with a far too _knowing_ look. "Partners. _Right_," he drawled, corner of his lips turning up in a smirk.

There again was that smugness that made Connor curl his hands into fists before he forced himself to relax. A part of him that he would rather not think about wanted to punch that look off Gardner's face.

With a deep, calming breath, Connor pushed his tea away. "If you're done making jokes, I'll be leaving."

Guy had the gall to roll his eyes as he leaned back away from the table. "He's an idiot. He ain't gonna notice ya unless you make a move."

That stopped Connor short again, making him more than just a little suspicious. "What?"

"I like the kid as much as anyone--" More than most if the look in his eyes was to be believed. It made Connor a mix of sympathetic and angry that was more than just a little confusing. "--but he's one frickin' grade A moron when it comes to this kinda thing."

He watched Guy for a moment longer, shaking his head. "Why are you telling me this if we -- have it in common?"

"I may be a lot of things, but I ain't that person," Guy replied, shrugging with an affected nonchalance.

Connor nodded in something very close to understanding as he looked out the window.

The silence dragged out between them until Guy seemed unable to bear it anymore. "Right," he said, standing up and digging into his pocket for money. "I gotta go before Salaak has kittens or somethin'."

Watching him closely for a moment, Connor nodded again. It was definitely understanding now. "I'm not that kind of person either, Ga--Guy."

He froze for a moment, bills spread out as he counted out the total. One glance over at Connor and that smirk was back. Like a sort of default setting. "Then I guess we're both screwed."

Connor found himself half smiling at that. It was funny in some sad way that only people in their shoes could really understand. "Take care of him."

Dropping the money down on the table, Guy grinned wide. "You know it, kid."


End file.
